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Executive Summary for the Roland Run at Greenspring Stream Assessment and Restoration Concept Report

The Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability (DEPS) initiated the Roland Run at Greenspring Stream Assessment and Restoration Concept Report(PDF–57 MB) to evaluate the existing stream conditions and develop stream and watershed restoration concepts for Roland Run and selected tributaries. This report describes the methods, field investigation, results, and restoration concepts proposed for the study area. The Roland Run at Greenspring study area begins approximately 350 feet upstream of Timonium Road and extends south 8,460 feet to the confluence with an unnamed tributary from the west, south of Seminary Avenue. The study area also includes four unnamed tributaries to Roland Run which deliver stormwater runoff to the stream.

Project Success

The effectiveness and success of the restoration of Roland Run depends upon a thorough understanding of the geomorphic and ecologic processes influencing the current channel and floodplain condition, and clear, achievable restoration goals. Specific project goals for the Roland Run at Greenspring Concept Report include the following:

Identify and document existing conditions of each reach in the study area

Identify opportunities for reach stabilization

Identify additional opportunities for water quality improvement and stormwater management within the study area

Prioritize the restoration based on reaches with the most impaired channel condition and potential to provide the most benefit to the system once stabilized or restored.

Ideally, the entire Roland Run project area would be completely restored to the stable natural geometry of the historic channel and forested riparian buffer; however, human activities have made it extremely difficult, if not impossible to attain this goal. The Roland Run reach prioritization located within the report relies heavily on factors associated with erosion and instability within the channel, but also considered factors associated with urban/suburbansystems such as adjacent property ownership, accessibility, and restoration potential. The thirteen reaches within the study area were assigned a high, medium, or low priority for restoration. Five reaches were classified as high priorities, another five were medium priorities, and three were determined to be low priority reaches. In addition, five stormwater retrofit opportunities were identified. Baltimore County EPS will utilize the information in this document to select specific projects in order to begin water quality improvement within this study area.

Select the file below to download the full document. Please note that this file is approximately 57MB. A copy of this document is also available in the reference section of the Cockeysville Library or by calling EPS Capital Program and Operations at 410-887-2904.